PULLMAN – Reserves and starters typically shared the sector as Washington State combined and matched personnel all through its second scrimmage of spring camp.
With a number of gamers vying for roles – a few of them competing for backup spots, others making an attempt to cement themselves on WSU’s first crew – the Cougs highlighted a couple of place teams for further analysis throughout a two-hour mock recreation at Gesa Area on Saturday morning.
Notes and observations from WSU’s scrimmage:
Backup QBs spotlighted
Sophomore switch quarterback Cameron Ward, who has all however locked up beginning duties, led three scoring possessions – guiding a pair of two-minute drives that ended with discipline objectives, then tossing a 14-yard landing to De’Zhaun Stribling.
Ward earned one in every of coach Jake Dickert’s two “Juice Participant of the Day” awards for spurring the offense early with crisp decision-making.
“He was commanding the ship,” Dickert mentioned. “He was actually correct. He was getting the ball out on time.”
He accomplished 6 of 10 passes for 59 yards and spent the remainder of the session spectating from the sideline and offering steerage for his backups, three of whom are competing for No. 2 on the depth chart.
Third-year sophomore Victor Gabalis, second-year freshman Xavier Ward and true freshman Emmett Brown traded drives for a lot of the train.
“We have to separate a few of these quarterbacks,” Dickert mentioned.
To realize an correct measure of their younger quarterbacks’ capabilities, the Cougs surrounded every of them on a couple of possessions with their most gifted out there receivers and first-string offensive linemen.
Brown and Xavier Ward had been particularly sharp. A 6-foot-2 native of Southern California, Ward accomplished 9 of 10 passes for 117 yards and lofted a 34-yard landing to freshman receiver Tre Horner late within the scrimmage.
Brown, a strong-armed 5-10 product of San Marcos, California, went 13 of 17 for 120 yards. He steered a 99-yard landing drive early within the day, capping the collection with a 6-yard TD to freshman Tsion Nunnally.
Not like the others, Gabalis has seen motion in an official recreation. The Everett product changed injured starter Jayden de Laura and led a near-comeback within the second half of WSU’s Solar Bowl loss to Central Michigan on Dec. 31.
On Saturday, Gabalis accomplished 7 of 12 passes for 75 yards and dedicated the offense’s solely turnover when he left an intermediate go hanging within the air. Junior backup linebacker Joshua Erling collected the interception .
Dickert expects the scrimmage movie to behave as a “separator” within the race for backup QB.
“It is a massive day to kinda kind out these guys,” he mentioned.
Sturdy displaying from the pass-catchers
Drops had been uncommon and first downs frequent when WSU went to the passing recreation.
Ten receivers logged catches because the Cougs rotated commonly and carried out steadily on the place.
“The receiver corps normally – we had been clear,” Dickert mentioned. “We haven’t been this clear in a very long time. We caught the ball nicely. I assumed we superior it nicely and we made some folks miss.
“That’s the consistency piece I’ve been looking for, and I’m so glad it got here out in a second like a scrimmage.”
WSU scrimmaged with out its two No. 1 slot receivers in Renard Bell and Lincoln Victor, who’re working their manner again from accidents. 5 reserve slot receivers registered a number of receptions. Orion Peters, whose title has come up repeatedly in spring camp information conferences, impressed on screens and fast outs and totaled 34 yards on three grabs earlier than leaving the sector with a minor ankle harm.
“Orion Peters is the one who’s at all times been standing out to me,” Dickert mentioned. “I couldn’t be extra enthusiastic about his progress and mentality. He went down a little bit bit, however he’ll be OK.”
Donovan Ollie, a returning starter at outdoors receiver, took a wholesome quantity of reps and recorded 31 yards on three receptions whereas Stribling – presumably nonetheless recovering from an harm sustained earlier in camp – solely appeared on two or three drives. Backups Nunnally and sophomore Anderson Grover stepped in and shouldered the load of snaps on the outsides, catching three balls apiece and mixing for 80 yards.
The reception of the day went to Nunnally, who soared above an undersized nook within the again nook of the top zone and got here down with a 6-yard TD from Brown.
“We’ve been ready for big-boy receivers, particularly on the skin, and he’s one in every of them,” Dickert mentioned of Nunnally, a 6-3, 210-pound redshirt freshman out of Santa Rosa, California. “He’s that budding star that we’ve been regularly ready for. … Guarding him ultimately zone with 5-10 corners goes to be a problem.”
Extra offensive tidbits
At operating again, the Cougs leaned on beginning junior Nakia Watson and true freshman Djouvensky Schlenbaker. They carried the ball eight and 9 occasions, respectively, whereas reserves Dylan Paine and Kannon Katzer mixed for 2 rushes. Katzer darted into open discipline and scored from 11 yards out on his solely try.
Schlenbaker, one of many Evergreen State’s high prep prospects of the 2022 class, churned out 35 yards.
“He had some exhausting, powerful yards,” Dickert mentioned.
Watson, a third-stringer final yr after transferring from Wisconsin, piled up 51 yards for a mean of 6.4 yards per carry. Watson burst via gaps, powered via defenders and hurdled one.
“Nakia is beginning to perceive the model we’re desirous to run with,” Dickert mentioned.
Speedster operating again Jouvensly Bazil was sidelined with an harm.
WSU’s offensive line supplied clear pockets for the primary half of the scrimmage however the benefit shifted to the defensive entrance afterward.
“We did a greater job with our (first-team) O-line group,” Dickert mentioned.
The primary unit up entrance performed roughly half of the possessions.
Beginning left deal with Jarrett Kingston was out and in of the lineup. He’s been coping with a few accidents throughout camp and was changed by Jack Wilson for stretches on Saturday. Rodrick Tialavea, a first-teamer at left guard for many of spring, didn’t take part. Dickert shined a light-weight on second-year freshman Christian Hilborn, who took on a heavy workload Saturday at proper guard.
Tight ends Jake Bowen, Travis Ward and Billy Riviere mixed for seven brief receptions.
Competitors at LB; line of defense impresses
Nevada switch Daiyan Henley is WSU’s surefire starter at outdoors linebacker. However there are place battles raging beside and behind him.
Junior Travion Brown and second-year freshman Francisco Mauigoa rotated at center linebacker all through the scrimmage.
“We wish to see who’s going to be the beginning ‘Mike’ between Tre and ’Cisco,” Dickert mentioned. “So, these guys took quite a lot of reps and it was a type of moments the place I would like them to be all on the market now, as a result of in fall camp they’re not going to be taking 50 scrimmage reps.”
Senior Ben Wilson and fourth-year sophomore Kyle Thornton are neck and neck for the No. 2 spot at outdoors linebacker, in order that they alternated for almost all of the session.
“It was very scripted,” Dickert mentioned. “I wish to see these guys this quantity of occasions, so we will begin to kind a few of these issues out.”
WSU’s line of defense totaled eight “contact” sacks. Quick-rising freshman edge Raam Stevenson had three, third-year frosh edge Gabriel Lopez posted two and sophomore switch defensive deal with Nusi Malani added two.
“As we went via the scrimmage, the defensive momentum actually picked up and that’s the place that D-line actually got here into play,” Dickert mentioned.
Malani, who spent the previous two seasons at Virginia, earned Dickert’s defensive “Juice Participant of the Day” nod.
“(Lopez) was a detailed comfort, however I went with Nusi Malani,” the first-year coach mentioned. “We’re beginning to see his improvement. You regularly see the disruption of the quarterback at that deal with place, which we desperately want.”